


How do florists make money? (By petaling their goods)

by henriettaholden



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-14
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:20:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24718933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/henriettaholden/pseuds/henriettaholden
Summary: Flowershop AU where Eddie was never a firefighter but his florist shop is directly across the road from a certain fire station filled with overprotective uncles and aunts of his new employee.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 109





	How do florists make money? (By petaling their goods)

His family thought he was crazy, returning from his second tour in Afghanistan and picking up Christopher to open shop in LA. The family business had been in Texas since his dad emigrated in the 70s and opened his florist shop in a strip mall in El Paso. Eddie had spent many hours of his youth behind the counter, learning the names and meanings of the delicate flowers, and riding shotgun with his dad to deliveries while his sisters manned the shop. 

He knew his family couldn’t understand why he moved to California, let alone to become a florist outside of the family business. But he needed space, Christopher needed space, and the person in their lives who had wanted space, well, she’d already fled to LA.

He was keeping afloat for the first couple months until Josephina demanded he hired some help now that business had picked up. Isabella couldn’t man the shop by herself or look after Christopher, and Mother’s Day was just around the corner. Eddie wasn’t hopeful after two candidates gave him their resumes. One was a stoner who thought he’d be able to grow weed in the florist nursery—that didn’t exist, he has a supplier—and the other a middle-aged white woman who tried to incorrectly correct Eddie’s labels of flowers. He knew the difference between orchids, he had a qualification in floristry for goodness sake. 

That was until a young woman walked into the shop one Thursday afternoon. She was waved off by a tall white man who Eddie recognized from previous visits to the store.

“Hi, my name is May Grant and I saw your ‘help wanted’ sign. I was wondering if a position was still available?”

Eddie took out the stools he kept by the counter and gestured for her to sit.

“I’m Eddie, the owner of the store. Do you know anything about flowers?”

“No, but I’m a quick learner?” She slid over her resume, a single page with her education and goals.

“UCLA, huh? Why do you want this job?” He saw her hesitate and then clearly make up her mind to tell the truth.

“I’ve got a full ride scholarship, but I know I’m going to need savings to support myself. I’m going to need a summer job but don’t want to sit behind a desk at my father’s architecture firm. And I want to make people happy.” She hesitated slightly before adding, “Plus, you’re right by my step-dad’s work.”

Eddie laughed and saw her physically relax.

“Just so you know, it is a lot of physical work. Hard work. It isn’t just arranging flowers and happy occasions. We see a fair number of funerals this side of town. Do you think you’re up for that?” He asked softly. Before he needed to temper her expectations further, she was already agreeing and Eddie was more than convinced of her sincerity. 

“So, I’ve got the job?” Eddie nodded, chuckling as he watched May try to contain her excitement.

“When can you start? Have you finished your finals?” 

They hashed out a schedule and Eddie walked out the back to grab the paperwork and returned to see four people from the fire department surrounding May. Eddie was perplexed until he recognised the tall white guy from before.

“Can I help you?” 

The tall man extended his hand, “Captain Bobby Nash, and this is my team. Howard Han, Hen Wilson, and Evan Buckley.” He held May’s shoulders while the rest of his team smiled at Eddie. Well the young guy, Evan, smiled and dorkiliy waved. Eddie had to stop himself from chuckling. 

“Eddie, this is my step-dad.” She turned to the Captain and said, “I just have to sign the paperwork then I can come to lunch,” before turning back to Eddie and apologizing for them all.

The two other guys were arguing over someone called Maddy and her favorite flower while the bald woman, Hen, peered at the displays murmuring, “So this is where you got those bouquets for Athena, huh Cap?” 

The young guy, Evan, turned away from the shorter guy and said, “Hi, I’m Buck. Do you do all these yourself?” His smile reached the mark above his bluer that blue eyes. “They’re really beautiful.”

‘God’, Eddie thought, ‘he’s so earnest.’ Eddie had never met anyone who seemed so genuine. And who looked like that. Eddie did not want to be tongue-tied in front of his new employee but before he could make himself give an answer, the guy leaned over the counter to feel his bicep.

“You’re really built for a florist. Where do you work out?”

“It’s a physical job, Buck,” May piped up. Evan and Eddie both blushed and suddenly Eddie had his arm back.

“So why are you applying for it?” Hen teased before ruffling May’s hair. Her scowl was the first time she looked like a teenager since walking into the shop.

“Alright, everyone, back to work.” The Captain placed his purchase on the counter and, again, ordered the rest of his team back to the firehouse. Eddie was surprised to find he was disappointed. He watched them go for a second then looked back at the Captain, who was smiling at him knowingly.

Eddie cleared his throat and looked at May.

“How about I show you how to call this up and then we’ll deal with the paperwork?”  
\--  
May’s first day was hectic. The bookings had started to roll in for Mother’s Day and Eddie had her organizing and prioritizing the online orders. He hadn’t had a minute to sit down to start training her on anything approaching floral arrangements but she looked at Eddie’s laptop open to an excel spreadsheet and said, “I’ve got this.”

Eddie could at least admit to himself that it was a weight off of his shoulders. Now he just had to convince her to major in accounting because then he’d have covered the two things he hated about being a florist. 

Almost ten minutes after May had started, the door bell jangled and the bald firefighter entered the shop. Eddie had to wrack his brains to remember her name, before she looked a baby shower display filled with little baby chicks and bright mums.

“Hen, right? How can I help?” She smiled at him and lifted one of the chickens from the baby blue shredded paper nest and raised an eyebrow. Eddie couldn’t help but laugh. 

“Wanted to get something for my wife--” She answered 

And Eddie finished, “And wanted to check on May? I have her fixing my online ordering system, which is something I never seem to have enough time to get to.”

Hen smiled and moved towards the roses he had colored in rainbows.

“I’d like three of those please. And can they be sent to CalTech?”

“Of course. MAY! Please come out here.” She appeared from the office and cried, “Hen! Are you checking up on me?”

Eddie smiled and left them to it. She knew how to work the till and he could finally sit down for a minute.  
\--  
Three hours later and more than a few sirens from the firehouse across the street, Eddie was greeted with the short fireman’s presence.

“Everyone calls me Chim.” He said when he could see Eddie struggling to remember his name. “Do you have any Calla lilies?”

Eddie smiled and pointed him towards some of the nicer arrangements.

“They’re perfect. Can you send them to the Dispatch Center on East Temple?”

“Of course. May! Another of your firemen are here.”

“I’m busy!”

“And she said she didn’t want a desk job.” Eddie confides in Chim. “How many more of you guys should I be expecting?” 

Chim chuckled, “This is nothing. Wait until you meet her mother.”  
\--  
Eddie was sure the firefighter visits were over because the trucks hadn’t returned in hours. Not that he had been keeping watch.

So he was genuinely surprised and secretly delighted when Buck walked through the doors.

“Hi!” Buck said and his smile beamed. 

“So, who are you buying flowers for?” Buck looked confused so Eddie explained the previous 118 visits.

“Oh! Yeah, my captain sent me to check on May. You remember Captain Nash?”

This time Eddie did not call for May. He just nodded and tried to lean casually against the counter. His elbow went into some honeysuckle vines. 

“She’s out the back.” Eddie clammed up. Why was he so bad at this? Sure, it had been a while since he was attracted to someone, but Buck seemed to be his undoing. 

“How long have you been a florist? What’s it like?”

Eddie would not let himself get tongue-tied. Again.

“I was in the Army until last year.” Eddie was not imagining it. Buck definitely gave him a once over. Buck’s guileless, sweet blue eyes had changed. There was an intent in his gaze that had Eddie’s spine straightening.

“Oh yeah, that makes sense.” Buck’s voice dropped. 

“Oh, yeah?” Eddie parroted back.

“Say, when do you close up shop? Do you wanna get a drink?”

With the least opportune timing, May walked out of the office with the laptop. 

“Go tell Bobby I’m fine Buck. If he comes in before the end of my shift, I’m calling Mom. Or even worse, Dad.”

“Copy that. Bye guys! I be-leaf in you May!” He winked at Eddie and Eddie flushed.

“Oh, you didn’t want him to leave, huh?” She turned to go back into the office, “Even after that terrible pun.” 

Eddie’s tries to not be disappointed when Buck doesn’t come calling for that drink.  
\--  
Eddie starts early four days a week, receiving deliveries at 5 am at the shop. With Christopher at Josephina’s, Eddie gets a chance to work on arrangements for a couple of peaceful hours until the doors open. What he doesn’t realize is that 6 am is when the fire station’s shift change. And he’s got direct line of sight from his workbench to the fire station car park. Which gives him a view of Buck every morning, either walking in or out of the station, dressed in tight shirts and nice jeans with his gear bag over one shoulder. 

It started to become routine, seeing Buck every morning at the end of a night shift, waving from across the road before getting into his Jeep. Or on the weeks he was on days, shirtlessly running around the block as the weather got nicer and nicer. 

Eddie had ruined four orders that week until he took the bouquets into the front shop.

Not that Eddie was counting but the last week Buck had been on nights, and today Buck was late. Eddie started to worry when Buck hadn’t left by 6:30, so by the time it was 7 am and the jeep was still in the lot, Eddie walked over to the fire station via Starbucks.

As soon as he stepped in beside the big red trucks, he immediately realized how awkward this was. ‘Hi I’m here because I’ve been stalking Buck and his car hasn’t left the lot’ was probably not the best thing to say. One firefighter he didn’t recognize took one look at his apron--which had the shop’s name embroidered on his chest--and the firefighter said, ‘He’s in the locker room’. 

Through the glass, Eddie saw Buck with his head in his hands. Eddie tapped on the glass and lifted the Starbucks cup. Buck dredged up a smile and stood to let Eddie in.

“Hot cocoa? You seem like you’re having a bad day.”

“It wasn’t the best,” Buck whispered before taking a sip of the drink.

“You okay to get home? Do you need me to drive you?” Buck looked so unlike himself that Eddie was struggling, trying to find the right words.

“I’d like that, thanks.”

Eddie watched Buck lift his bag into Eddie’s truck and their drive was silent except for Buck’s instructions.

When he pulled into the apartment lot, he looked over at the uncharacteristically silent Buck. Eddie reached over to his glove compartment and found a business card and a pen, scrawling his number messily while balanced on the steering wheel.

“Hey, I’ve had bad days. If you want to talk, feel free to give me a call.”

Buck seemed reluctant to leave the car and neither of them said anything for a couple of minutes until Buck said ‘thanks’ in the softest voice and opened the door. If Eddie wasn’t paying incredibly close attention to Buck’s every move and emotion, he might have missed Bucks remark that hot cocoa was his favourite.

**Author's Note:**

> Please excuse my Australian English and let me know if I've missed any. And let me know any flower puns because I am going to riddle the next chapter with them, fair warning.


End file.
